One of the most common questions we get from customers is what they need to do to help us prepare their homes for painting. The answers, understandably, are different when you’re having the interior painting than when it’s the exterior, so for this post we’ll focus only on the interior. This also is not a complete list, as different painters might have different requests for how you can help prepare your home, so these are just a few of the basics that will be expected no matter who you hire.
1). Clear out the rooms being painted: The last thing anyone paying for a new paint job in their house wants is to have all of their belongings ruined with paint splattering and messes. Some painters recommend simply putting a tarp or older cloth over these items as protection, and while this can work, it is not foolproof. The best way to prevent these things from getting messy is to simply clear the room and put them somewhere safe. It is also important to get big pieces of furniture out and away from the walls to ensure the painters can reach every inch of the walls that need painting. Some painters (including ours!) are more than willing to help anyone with this process that might have difficulty on their own, but for anyone who is able, it is beneficial to both you and the painter to have this done before they arrive with the paint!
2). Cleaning the walls: Again, our painters are willing to help with this step if it is one of difficulty for our customer, but for those who can do it on their own, cleaning the walls before the paint arrives is a huge help, and will speed up the process immensely. It doesn't take long, either! Just a damp rag, or even a swiffer style mop is all you need. Having clean and dirt-free walls will help the paint to settle and dry easier, and will prevent peeling and flaking in the future.
3). Repair Surface Imperfections: If there are any holes or damages to the walls present, you can simply use some spackle to fills these imperfections, giving the painters a clean and smooth surface to paint over (does it go without saying that our painters will help with this if you cannot do it?).
4). Make plans for your family and pets: This is your home, and we want to get the painting done and let you resume your lives as quickly as possible. But during the time that we are there, it might be a good idea to make plans for how to keep these rooms free of extra people or animals during the painting. This is obviously a lot easier if only 1-2 rooms are being painted, but if it’s an entire house being repainted, it might be best to make plans to have most, if not all of the family, occupied elsewhere during the day to give painters the space needed to complete the work. This one is not a necessity, so do whatever you feel you feel comfortable with! Just having limited people in the home, or at least within the area being painted, might help speed the process.
5). Remove any outlet covers or switch plates: Before the painters arrive, you may want to go ahead and remove all of the outlet covers and switch guards present in the areas to be painted. Put them, along with any screws, in a Ziplock bag and place in an area that you will remember. (Our wonderful team of painters will do this step for you as well).
These are just a few of the steps that you can take to help prepare your home for its refreshing new makeover. As said earlier, each painter is different and may ask different things of each customer, so please talk with them ahead of time to ensure you’ve got the best plan for you!
At Eagle Eye Exteriors we want to make the process as simple for our customers as possible. The only thing we ask is that you wipe down the walls, remove any pictures and valuables from the areas to be painted, and prepare yourself for a freshly painted home.